You can adapt this recipe several ways to suit your taste. You can flavor it with fruits, nuts, extracts, or chocolate. The recipe calls for 1-1/3 cups heavy cream or sour cream, or a combination of the two. If you prefer a milder cheesecake, use all heavy cream. For a tangier cheesecake, use all sour cream. I used 1 cup of sour cream and 1/3 cup heavy cream, mostly just because I didn't want to purchase a huge tub of sour cream and the next size down was 8 ounces.

I had every intention of doing something creative and fun with this recipe, but with the holidays and our travel plans, I was happy just to get it done. This was probably the nicest looking cheesecake I've ever made. I was elated when I pulled it from the oven and there wasn't a single crack on top! Though I'm not sure why it browned so much - I know that Dorie says it's supposed to brown, but the one pictured in her book is pristine and white, without the faintest hint of browning. Regardless, it did not affect the taste and I considered it to be a success :)

As pretty as it was, I still thought it looked a bit too naked, so I decided to whip up a batch of caramel sauce to drizzle on top.

This cheesecake is everything Dorie promises it to be. It is super smooth and velvety. It's fairly dense, but not quite New York cheesecake dense. It is rich without being too heavy. Just look at how creamy it is!

What's the secret to cutting the perfect slice? I've never had much luck using a knife that's been run through hot water, though that's also what Dorie recommends. I find that I'm able to get much better looking slices if I use dental floss :)

Thanks Anne, for choosing this cheesecake. I loved it and will use it as my go-to cheesecake recipe from now on. If you would like the recipe for the cheesecake, you can find it here. If you're interested in the caramel sauce recipe, you can find it here (along with a pumpkin cheesecake recipe). Make sure you visit the TWD Blog Roll to see how everyone else enjoyed this creamy treat.

* Recipe notes:- Be very careful when double wrapping your springform pan in aluminum foil. If you inadvertently poke any holes in it, you'll end up with a water logged crust.- Don't worry if you can't get your water bath half way up the sides of the springform pan. Even an inch of water will help.- This cheesecake puffs up significantly in the oven, but deflates after it is cooled.- If you're going to use dental floss to slice your cheesecake, make sure you use the non-flavored kind ;) You'll also want to wipe off any bits that stick to the floss after each run through the cake.- Wrapped well, the cheesecake will keep for about 1 week in the refrigerator or 2 months in the freezer. If you're freezing it, defrost it in the refrigerator overnight when you are ready to eat.- For more recipe tips, click here.

In France you can buy two kinds of Yule log: either the Genoise and Buttercream type with which most of us are familiar (it looks like an actual wooden log), or what is more commonly purchased in France which is a frozen Yule Log very reminiscent of an ice cream cake, only often it’s not made of ice cream but rather frozen mousse of some sort. In French this is called an entremets which is sometimes loosely translated in English as simply a cream dessert. This recipe is not holiday-specific, it is just a scrumptious dessert recipe.

The French Yule Log is basically layers of dacquoise (almond cake), ganache, praline crisp, and crème brulée, sandwiched between layers of mousse, all covered in a chocolate glaze. While this recipe has multiple components and the sum of all its parts takes quite some time, each component taken individually is rather simple. So don't let the length of the recipe deter you from making it.

The recipe is best made over the course of two to three days. There are three major waiting periods. The crème brulée needs to cool completely after baking, then it needs to be frozen for one hour. After you layer the dacquoise, crème brulée, and praline insert between several layers of mousse, it needs a few hours in the freezer to set (though I was able to get away with only freezing it for one hour). Then you pipe the ganache onto the frozen mousse, top with the last layer of dacquoise, then freeze it overnight. On the day you are ready to serve the Yule Log, you simply unmold it, glaze it, let it set, then return it to the freezer until you are ready to serve.

For the most part, the Yule Log came together fairly easily. I had never worked with gelatin before, so I did not really know what to expect for the components that included gelatin. I found some powdered gelatin at my grocery store, but then I had no idea how to use it in the recipe because the instructions in the recipe were for gelatin sheets. So, for those who are not familiar with gelatin, here is some information. Gelatin is available in leaves, powder or granules. For leaf gelatin, soak in cold water for 5 minutes to soften, then remove and gently squeeze to remove any excess water. For powdered gelatin, add to a couple tablespoons of warm water and stir until dissolved. If it does not completely dissolve after the addition of warm water, you can heat it in the microwave for 2-3 seconds at a time, but be careful not to boil it.

When making the mousse, the weighted measurement of the cornstarch seemed to be more accurate than the measured quanty. The first time I tried making the mousse, I added 2 tablespoons of cornstarch and despite beating it forever, I was not able to get my egg yolks to be thick, white, and fluffy. So I started over, this time adding 17 grams of cornstarch. I wasn't able to get my yolks completely white, but they were much thicker and fluffier this time around and a very pale yellow.

I probably should have used that as an indication that I should weigh my gelatin for the chocolate glaze instead of using the measured amount. My chocolate glaze didn't look as smooth and beautiful as some of the others I have seen so far. I think there was too much gelatin in it. It was very thick and difficult to work with, so my Yule Log looks a bit more "rustic" than some ;)

The only other problem I had with this recipe was with the crème brulée. Seems that this component was the one that most Daring Bakers had problems with for this recipe. Crème brulée isn't that hard to make. I've made it numerous times in the past and as long as you properly temper the egg yolks, the rest is a breeze. Turns out that many of us had trouble getting it to set at the very low temperature of 210°F. A few bakers noted that they baked it for over two hours, with no success. After reaching the one hour mark and noticing that it was nowhere near set, I checked the Daring Bakers Forum to see if I could get some help. It was then that I discovered that I was not alone. So after baking my crème brulée for 70 minutes, I increased the oven temperature to 225°F for another 10 minutes, then to 250°F for another 20 minutes before it was set. (This also may have been because at very low temperatures, ovens are not very accurate. However, I do not have an oven thermometer so I was not able to gauge this.)

You're supposed to move the Yule Log from the freezer to the refrigerator no more than thirty minutes before serving. However, I had mine thawing in the refrigerator for thirty minutes, then let it sit at room temperature for another thirty minutes, and it was still difficult to slice through it. Having never had one before, I am not sure what the texture is supposed to be like when served, but it was still really frozen and seemed like it would have been better if it had been thawed just a tad longer.

You can customize the various layers in a multitude of ways. I made an almond dacquoise, black raspberry mousse, praline crisp, vanilla crème brulée, dark-milk ganache, and milk chocolate icing. The Yule Log was delicious and definitely a show stopper this Christmas, but I'm not sure I'll be making it again in the future. It wasn't too difficult, but it was time consuming. Just not my cup of tea, I guess.

A big thanks to Hilda and Marion, for choosing this month's challenge. I also need to give special thanks to my brother this month. Since I was home for the holidays, I took advantage of his photography expertise and asked him to shoot all the photos for this post. Make sure you visit the Daring Bakers Blogroll to see how hundreds of others stacked up!

I recommend making the elements in this order: - Crème brulée: cool, then freeze overnight - Praline Crisp: can be made while the crème brulée is cooling, then refrigerate overnight- Dacquoise: make this first on day 2- Mousse: can be made while the dacquoise is cooling- Ganache: do not make until after Yule Log has been partially assembled and frozen- Chocolate Icing: make this just before you are ready to glaze

Note: You can use the Dacquoise for the bottom of your Yule Log only, or as bottom and top layers, or if using a Yule log mold (half-pipe) to line your entire mold with the biscuit. Take care to spread the Dacquoise accordingly. Try to bake the Dacquoise the same day you assemble the log to keep it as moist as possible.

1. Finely mix the almond meal and the confectioner's sugar. (If you have a mixer, you can use it by pulsing the ingredients together for no longer than 30 seconds).2. Sift the flour into the mix.3. Beat the eggs whites, gradually adding the granulated sugar until stiff.4. Pour the almond meal mixture into the egg whites and blend delicately with a spatula.5. Grease a piece of parchment paper and line your baking pan with it.6. Spread the batter on a piece of parchment paper to an area slightly larger than your desired shape (circle, long strip etc...) and to a height of 1/3 inches (8mm).7. Bake at 350°F (180°C) for approximately 15 minutes (depends on your oven), until golden. (Don't overbake this or else the dacquoise will be brittle instead of soft. This will make it difficult to cut your Yule into neat slices without the dacquoise crumbling into pieces.)8. Let cool and cut to the desired shape.

Variations on the Almond Dacquoise listed above:

Hazelnut DacquoiseSubstitute the same amount of hazelnut meal for the almond meal.

Note: You will see that a Pate a Bombe is mentioned in this recipe. A Pate a Bombe is a term used for egg yolks beaten with a sugar syrup, then aerated. It is the base used for many mousse and buttercream recipes. It makes mousses and buttercreams more stable, particularly if they are to be frozen, so that they do not melt as quickly or collapse under the weight of heavier items such as the crème brulee insert.In the Vanilla Mousse variation, pastry cream is made to the same effect.In the Mango Mousse variation, Italian meringue is made to the same effect. Italian meringue is a simple syrup added to egg whites as they are beaten until stiff. It has the same consistency as Swiss meringue (thick and glossy) which we have used before in challenge recipes as a base for buttercream.The Whipped Cream option contains no gelatin, so beware of how fast it may melt.Gelatin is the gelifying agent in all of the following recipes, but if you would like to use agar-agar, here are the equivalencies: 8g powdered gelatin = 1 (0.25 oz) envelope powdered gelatin = 1 Tbsp powdered gelatin = 1 Tbsp Agar-Agar.1 Tbsp. of agar-agar flakes is equal to 1 tsp. of agar-agar powder.

1. Soften the gelatin in cold water. (If using powdered gelatin, follow the directions on the package.)2. Make a Pate a Bombe: Beat the egg yolks until very light in colour (approximately 5 minutes until almost white).2a. Cook the sugar, glucose syrup and water on medium heat for approximately 3 minutes (if you have a candy thermometer, the mixture should reach 244°F (118°C). If you do not have a candy thermometer, test the sugar temperature by dipping the tip of a knife into the syrup then into a bowl of ice water, if it forms a soft ball in the water then you have reached the correct temperature.2b. Add the sugar syrup to the beaten yolks carefully by pouring it into the mixture in a thin stream while continuing to beat the yolks. You can do this by hand but it’s easier to do this with an electric mixer.2c. Continue beating until cool (approximately 5 minutes). The batter should become thick and foamy.3. In a double boiler or equivalent, heat 2 tablespoons (30g) of cream to boiling. Add the chopped chocolate and stir until melted and smooth.4. Whip the remainder of the cream until stiff.5. Pour the melted chocolate over the softened gelatin, mixing well. Let the gelatin and chocolate cool slightly and then stir in ½ cup (100g) of whipped cream to temper. Add the Pate a Bombe.6. Add in the rest of the WHIPPED cream (220g) mixing gently with a spatula.

Variations on the Dark Chocolate Mousse listed above:

White Chocolate MousseSubstitute the same quantity of white chocolate for the dark chocolate in the mousse recipe listed above.

1. Chop the chocolate coarsely.2. Heat the 160g of cream to boiling and pour over the chocolate and glucose syrup.3. Wait 30 seconds then stir the mix until smooth. Add the remaining cream.4. Refrigerate to cool, then whip up.

Make a pastry cream:1. Pour the milk and 2/3 cup cream into a saucepan. Split the vanilla bean in half, scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean halves into milk and put the vanilla bean in as well.2. Heat to boiling, then turn the heat off, cover and let infuse for at least 30 minutes. Then remove the vanilla bean.3. Beat the egg yolks with the sugar until white, thick and fluffy.4. Add the cornstarch, beating carefully to ensure that there are no lumps. While whisking vigorously, pour some of the milk into the yolk mixture to temper it.5. Put infused milk back on the stove on medium heat. Pour yolk mixture back into the milk while whisking vigorously. Keep whisking vigorously until mixture thickens considerably.6. As soon as the mixture starts to boil, leave on for only 2 more minutes. (The recipe says you should remove the vanilla bean at this time but in the interest of no one getting burned, that can be done after you take the pastry cream off the stove.)7. Once removed from the heat, cover the pastry cream by putting plastic film directly on the surface of the cream (this prevents it from forming a thick and unappetizing skin as it cools). Let cool at room temperature.8. Soften the gelatin in cold water and melt in a small saucepan with 1 tsp of water OR melt in the microwave for 1 second (do not boil). Whisking vigorously, pour the cooled pastry cream over it.9. Whip the 1 cup whipping cream until stiff and add gradually to the pastry cream (DO NOT WHISK). Blend delicately with a spatula (DO NOT WHISK).

1. Beat the egg yolks with the cornstarch until thick, white and fluffy.2. Heat the cream in a medium saucepan and once hot, pour a small amount over the egg yolks while whisking vigorously.3. Pour the egg yolk mixture back into the rest of the cream in the saucepan, add the mango puree and cook, stirring constantly, until it thickens considerably, at least 3-5 mn. Let cool to lukewarm temperature.4. Make an Italian Meringue: Cook the sugar and water on medium heat until temperature reaches 244°F (118°C) when measured with a candy thermometer. If you don’t have a candy thermometer, test the temperature by dipping the tip of a knife into the syrup then into a bowl of ice water. If it forms a soft ball, you’ve reached the proper temperature.4a. Beat the egg whites until foamy. Pour the sugar syrup into the whites in a thin stream while continuing to whisk vigorously (preferably with a mixer for sufficient speed). Whisk/beat until cool (approximately 5 minutes). The meringue should be thick and glossy.5. Soften the gelatin in cold water and melt in a small saucepan with 1 tsp of water OR melt in the microwave for 1 second (do not boil).6. Put the melted gelatin in a mixing bowl and, while whisking vigorously, pour the lukewarm mango cream over the gelatin.7. Carefully blend the Italian meringue into the mango mixture.

Element #3 Dark Chocolate Ganache Insert

Preparation time: 10mn

Equipment: pan, whisk. If you have plunging mixer (a vertical hand mixer used to make soups and other liquids), it comes in handy.

Note: Because the ganache hardens as it cools, you should make it right before you intend to use it to facilitate piping it onto the log during assembly. Please be careful when caramelizing the sugar and then adding the cream. It may splatter and boil.

1. Make a caramel: Using the dry method, melt the sugar by spreading it in an even layer in a small saucepan with high sides. Heat over medium-high heat, watching it carefully as the sugar begins to melt. Never stir the mixture. As the sugar starts to melt, swirl the pan occasionally to allow the sugar to melt evenly. Cook to dark amber color (for most of you that means darker than last month’s challenge).2. While the sugar is melting, heat the cream until boiling. Pour cream into the caramel and stir thoroughly. Be very careful as it may splatter and boil.3. Pour the hot caramel-milk mixture over the dark chocolate. Wait 30 seconds and stir until smooth.4. Add the softened butter and whip hard and fast (if you have a plunging mixer use it). The chocolate should be smooth and shiny.

1. Make a caramel: Using the dry method, melt the sugar by spreading it in an even layer in a small sauce pan with high sides. Heat over medium-high heat, watching it carefully as the sugar begins to melt. Never stir the mixture. As the sugar starts to melt, swirl the pan occasionally to allow the sugar to melt evenly. Cook to dark amber color (for most of you that means darker than last month’s challenge).2. While the sugar is melting, heat the cream until boiling. Pour cream into the caramel and stir thoroughly. Be very careful as it may splatter and boil.3. Pour the hot caramel-milk mixture over the dark chocolate. Wait 30 seconds and stir until smooth.

1. Make a caramel: Using the dry method, melt the sugar by spreading it in an even layer in a small saucepan with high sides. Heat over medium-high heat, watching it carefully as the sugar begins to melt. Never stir the mixture. As the sugar starts to melt, swirl the pan occasionally to allow the sugar to melt evenly. Cook to dark amber color (for most of you that means darker than last month’s challenge).2. While the sugar is melting, heat the cream until boiling. Pour cream into the caramel and stir thoroughly. Be very careful as it may splatter and boil.3. Pour the hot caramel-milk mixture over the dark chocolate. Wait 30 seconds and stir until smooth.4. Add the softened butter and whip hard and fast (if you have a plunging mixer use it). The chocolate should be smooth and shiny.

1. Make a caramel: Using the dry method, melt the sugar by spreading it in an even layer in a small saucepan with high sides. Heat over medium-high heat, watching it carefully as the sugar begins to melt. Never stir the mixture. As the sugar starts to melt, swirl the pan occasionally to allow the sugar to melt evenly. Cook to dark amber color (for most of you that means darker than last month’s challenge).2. Heat the cream with the cinnamon (use the quantity of cinnamon you want to infuse the cream, a pinch is the smallest amount suggested) until boiling. Pour cream into the caramel and stir thoroughly. Be very careful as it may splatter and boil.3. Pour the hot caramel-milk mixture over the milk and dark chocolate. Wait 30 seconds and stir until smooth.4. Add the softened butter and whip hard and fast (if you have a plunging mixer use it). The chocolate should be smooth and shiny.

Element #4 Praline Feuillete (Crisp) Insert

Preparation time: 10 mn (+ optional 15mn if you make lace crepes)

Equipment: Small saucepan, baking sheet (if you make lace crepes).Double boiler (or one small saucepan in another), wax paper, rolling pin (or I use an empty bottle of olive oil).

Note: Feuillete means layered (as in with leaves) so a Praline Feuillete is a Praline version of a delicate crisp. There are non-praline variations below. The crunch in this crisp comes from an ingredient which is called gavottes in French. Gavottes are lace-thin crepes. To our knowledge they are not available outside of France, so you have the option of making your own using the recipe below or you can simply substitute rice krispies or corn flakes or Special K for them. Special note: If you use one of the substitutes for the gavottes, you should halve the quantity stated, as in use 1oz of any of these cereals instead of 2.1oz.If you want to make your own praline, please refer back to the Daring Baker Challenge Recipe from July 2008.

1. Melt the chocolate and butter in a double boiler.2. Add the praline and the coarsely crushed lace crepes. Mix quickly to thoroughly coat with the chocolate.3. Spread between two sheets of wax paper to a size slightly larger than your desired shape. Refrigerate until hard.

1. Melt the chocolate and butter in a double boiler.2. Add the praline and the coarsely crushed lace crepes. Mix quickly to thoroughly coat with the chocolate.3. Spread between two sheets of wax paper to a size slightly larger than your desired shape. Refrigerate until hard.

1. Spread the coconut on a baking tray and bake for 5-10 minutes at 375°F (190°C) to toast (a different temperature might work better for you with your own oven).2. Melt the white chocolate and butter in a double boiler. Stir until smooth and add the toasted coconut.3. Add the coarsely crushed lace crepes. Mix quickly to thoroughly coat with the chocolate. Spread between two sheets of wax paper to a size slightly larger than your desired shape. Refrigerate until hard.

1. Heat the milk, cream, and scraped vanilla bean to just boiling. Remove from the stove and let the vanilla infuse for about 1 hour.2. Whisk together the sugar and egg yolks (but do not beat until white).3. Pour the vanilla-infused milk over the sugar/yolk mixture. Mix well.4. Wipe with a very wet cloth and then cover your baking mold (whatever shape is going to fit on the inside of your Yule log/cake) with parchment paper. Pour the cream into the mold and bake at 210°F (100°C) for about 1 hour or until firm on the edges and slightly wobbly in the center. (I would recommend baking it at 250°F)

Tartelette says: You can bake it without a water bath since it is going to go inside the log (the aesthetics of it won't matter as much since it will be covered with other things)....BUT I would recommend a water bath for the following reasons:- you will get a much nicer mouth feel when it is done- you will be able to control its baking point and desired consistency much better- it bakes for such a long time that I fear it will get overdone without a water bathNow...since it is baked in a pan and it is sometimes difficult to find another large pan to set it in for a water bath, even a small amount of water in your water bath will help the heat be distributed evenly in the baking process. Even as little as 1 inch will help.5. Let cool and put in the freezer for at least 1 hour to firm up and facilitate the final assembly.

1. Heat the milk and cream to just boiling. Add the cocoa powder.2. Whisk together the sugar and egg yolks (but do not beat until white).3. Pour the cocoa milk over the sugar/yolk mixture. Mix well.4. Wipe with a very wet cloth and then cover your baking mold (whatever shape is going to fit on the inside of your Yule log/cake) with parchment paper. Pour the cream into the mold and bake at 210°F (100°C) for about 1 hour or until firm on the edges and slightly wobbly in the center.Tartelette says: You can bake it without a water bath since it is going to go inside the log (the aesthetics of it won't matter as much since it will be covered with other things)....BUT I would recommend a water bath for the following reasons:- you will get a much nicer mouth feel when it is done- you will be able to control its baking point and desired consistency much better- it bakes for such a long time that I fear it will get overdone without a water bathNow...since it is baked in a pan and it is sometimes difficult to find another large pan to set it in for a water bath, even a small amount of water in your water bath will help the heat be distributed evenly in the baking process. Even as little as 1 inch will help.5. Let cool and put in the freezer for at least 1 hour to firm up and facilitate the final assembly.

1. Soften the gelatin in cold water for 15 minutes.2. Boil the rest of the ingredients and cook an additional 3 minutes after boiling.3. Add gelatin to the chocolate mixture. Mix well.4. Let cool while checking the texture regularly. As soon as the mixture is smooth and coats a spoon well (it is starting to gelify), use immediately.

1. Soften the gelatin in cold water for 15 minutes.2. Coarsely chop the chocolate and butter together.3. Bring the cream and glucose syrup to a boil.4. Add the gelatin.5. Pour the mixture over the chocolate and butter. Whisk until smooth.6. Let cool while checking the texture regularly. As soon as the mixture is smooth and coats a spoon well (it is starting to gelify), use immediately.

1. Soften the gelatin in cold water for 15 minutes.2. Coarsely chop the chocolate and butter together.3. Bring the milk and glucose syrup to a boil.4. Add the gelatin.5. Pour the mixture over the chocolate and butter. Whisk until smooth.6. Let cool while checking the texture regularly. As soon as the mixture is smooth and coats a spoon well (it is starting to gelify), use immediately.

How To Assemble your French Yule Log

Depending on whether your mold is going to hold the assembly upside down until you unmold it or right side up, this order will be different.THIS IS FOR UNMOLDING FROM UPSIDE DOWN TO RIGHT SIDE UP.You will want to tap your mold gently on the countertop after each time you pipe mousse in to get rid of any air bubbles.

1) Line your mold or pan, whatever its shape, with rhodoid (clear hard plastic, I usually use transparencies cut to the desired shape, it’s easier to find than cellulose acetate which is what rhodoid translates to in English) OR plastic film. Rhodoid will give you a smoother shape but you may have a hard time using it depending on the kind of mold you’re using.I used a standard 8.5" x 4.5" loaf pan, lined with plastic wrap

You have two choices for Step 2, you can either have Dacquoise on the top and bottom of your log as in version A or you can have Dacquoise simply on the bottom of your log as in version B:

2A) Cut the Dacquoise into a shape fitting your mold and set it in there. If you are using an actual Yule mold which is in the shape of a half-pipe, you want the Dacquoise to cover the entire half-pipe portion of the mold.3A) Pipe one third of the Mousse component on the Dacquoise.4A) Take the Creme Brulee Insert out of the freezer at the last minute and set on top of the mousse. Press down gently to slightly ensconce it in the mousse.5A) Pipe second third of the Mousse component around and on top of the Creme Brulee Insert.6A) Cut the Praline/Crisp Insert to a size slightly smaller than your mold so that it can be surrounded by mousse. Lay it on top of the mousse you just piped into the mold.7A) Pipe the last third of the Mousse component on top of the Praline Insert.8A) Freeze for a few hours to set. Take out of the freezer.9A) Pipe the Ganache Insert onto the frozen mousse leaving a slight eidge so that ganache doesn’t seep out when you set the Dacquoise on top.10A) Close with the last strip of Dacquoise.Freeze until the next day.

OR

2B) Pipe one third of the Mousse component into the mold.3B) Take the Creme Brulee Insert out of the freezer at the last minute and set on top of the mousse. Press down gently to slightly ensconce it in the mousse.4B) Pipe second third of the Mousse component around and on top of the Creme Brulee Insert.5B) Cut the Praline/Crisp Insert to a size slightly smaller than your mold so that it can be surrounded by mousse. Lay it on top of the mousse you just piped into the mold.6B) Pipe the last third of the Mousse component on top of the Praline Insert.7B) Freeze for a few hours to set. Take out of the freezer.8B) Pipe the Ganache Insert onto the frozen mousse leaving a slight edge so that ganache doesn’t seep out when you set the Dacquoise on top.9B) Close with the Dacquoise.Freeze until the next day.

If you are doing the assembly UPSIDE DOWN with TWO pieces of Dacquoise the order is:1) Dacquoise2) Mousse3) Creme Brulee Insert4) Mousse5) Praline/Crisp Insert6) Mousse7) Ganache Insert8) Dacquoise

If you are doing the assembly UPSIDE DOWN with ONE piece of Dacquoise on the BOTTOM ONLY the order is:1) Mousse2) Creme Brulee Insert3) Mousse4) Praline/Crisp Insert5) Mousse6) Ganache Insert7) Dacquoise

If you are doing the assembly RIGHT SIDE UP in a springform pan the order is:1) Dacquoise2) Ganache Insert3) Mousse4) Praline/Crisp Insert5) Mousse6) Creme Brulee Insert7) Mousse8 OPTIONAL) Dacquoise

THE NEXT DAY...Unmold the cake/log/whatever and set on a wire rack over a shallow pan.Cover the cake with the icing.Let set. Return to the freezer.You may decorate your cake however you wish. The decorations can be set in the icing after it sets but before you return the cake to the freezer or you may attach them on top using extra ganache or leftover mousse, etc...Transfer to the refrigerator no longer than ½ hour before serving as it may start to melt quickly depending on the elements you chose.

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

This week's Tuesdays with Dorie (TWD) recipe was chosen by Donna of Spatulas, Corkscrews & Suitcases: Real Butterscotch Pudding. If you came here looking for pudding, I'm afraid you won't find any here. I came down with some bug, not sure if it's a bad cold or just a mild version of the flu (I got a flu shot this year). Make sure you visit Donna's blog, though, because she makes some of the most amazing things in her kitchen... on her boat!

Instead of pudding, you'll find my last installment of holiday goodies, as well as a round up of the other holiday goodies I made this year, followed by a short recap of some things I made last year that you might be interested in.

The last two sweets I decided to add to my holiday gift packages were oreo truffles and cookie dough truffles. I made them last year, and they were such a big hit, I knew I wanted to make them again this year. The oreo truffles taste just like they sound - oreos in candy form. The filling in the cookie dough truffles tastes a lot like the bits of cookie dough found in cookie dough ice cream. I've found that they are a bit more popular than the oreo truffles, so if you can't decide which ones to make, try the cookie dough truffles.

Below are some notes that I made this time - I wasn't really paying enough attention the first time around to note anything (I've also updated those posts).

For the oreo truffles, you're supposed to process a package of Oreos into crumbs and then use 3 cups of cookie crumbs to form the truffles. I wasn't sure how many cups of cookie crumbs one package would yield, and found it to be a hassle to measure out the crumbs, so I found it much easier to just reserve about 1 tablespoon of cookie crumbs for the topping. (Besides, when I followed the recipe instructions as written and only used 3 cups for the truffles, I ended up with way too many leftover crumbs to use just for topping the candies.) You can skip this step altogether and simply top the truffles with a drizzle of chocolate, or chopped Andes mints. If you're a fan of chocolate and mint, you could also use Chocolate Mint 'n Creme Oreos to make chocolate mint oreo truffles.

For the cookie dough truffles, I found them quite sticky and difficult to roll last year. I'm not sure if that was because I omitted the nuts or not, so this year I made a few changes. I didn't add an entire can of condensed milk to the recipe this time - I only used 12 ounces (reserving 1/4 cup). Then to make sure they were still sweet enough, I added in 1/3 cup of sifted confectioner's sugar. This seemed to work out well. The dough was still slightly sticky, but I was able to roll the dough into balls and stick them in the freezer. A few minutes in the freezer, and they were ready for dipping.

Here's the round up of everything else I wrapped up to give away this year...

Sunday, December 21, 2008

It's not often that I get to make peanut butter goodies. As those who follow this blog know, my husband hates peanut butter and always complains when I make something with peanut butter because then he can't eat it. If I make enough other goodies, however, he's willing to overlook the fact that I made something peanut buttery ;)

Such was the case with these cookies. With all the other stuff I had made for my holiday gift packages, I was able to also sneak in these peanut butter cookies. They're sweet and crunchy with a nice peanut butter flavor. If you're looking for a soft peanut butter cookie, look elsewhere. (I'll have to post my flour-less peanut butter cookie recipe soon for those who prefer a softer cookie.)

These are rather simple cookies to make. No rolling required and no refrigeration required, either. Just roll the dough into balls, coat with sugar, then flatten with a fork to make the crisscross pattern after which these cookies are named. Prep time is only about 15 minutes before these are ready to go into the oven (assuming you already have the butter set out at room temperature).

Seeing as chocolate and peanut butter belong together, I can't wait to try the chocolate peanut butter version that Dorie describes in the "playing around" section.

These cookies are my final submission to "Eat Christmas Cookies, Season 2," hosted by Susan of Food Blogga. Click on the logo below to find out more about this event and click here to see the round-up of all the other wonderful cookies being submitted!

Before ending this post, I'd like to note that this post also marks another milestone in my blog history... my 200th post! For those who have been here since the beginning, thanks for sticking with me. For those who are new around here, I hope you'll continue to drop by and visit. I appreciate each and every reader, especially those who take the time to leave me comments/feedback. There are literally hundreds of food blogs out there that I would love to follow on a regular basis but the truth is that there just aren't as many hours in the day as I would like. So I hope you understand this... just know that I do try to get around to visiting your blogs as often as I'm able to. It's hard for me to believe that I've already reached my 200th post, but I'm looking forward to what's in store for the next hundred posts!

Working with a stand mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed for a minute or two, until smooth and creamy. Add the peanut butter and beat for another minute. Add the sugars and beat for 3 minutes more. Add the eggs one at a time, beating for 1 minute after each addition. Scrape down the sides and the bottom of the bowl and, on low speed, add the dry ingredients, mixing only until they just disappear. Mix in the chopped peanuts. You’ll have a soft, pliable (mushable, actually) dough.

Pour the ½ cup of sugar into a small bowl. Working with a level tablespoonful of dough for each cookie, roll the dough between your palms into balls and drop the balls, a couple at a time, into the sugar. Roll the balls around in the sugar to coat them, then place on the baking sheets, leaving 2 inches between them. Dip the tines of a fork in sugar and press the tines against each ball first in one direction and then in a perpendicular direction – you should have a flattened round of dough with crisscross indentations.

Bake for about 12 minutes, rotating the sheets from top to bottom and front to back at the midway point. When done, the cookies will be lightly colored and still a little soft. Let the cookies sit on the sheets for a minute before transferring them to cooling racks with a wide metal spatula. Cool to room temperature.

Repeat with the remaining dough, making sure to cool the baking sheets between batches.

Storage:The cookies will keep for at least 5 days in the cookie jar. Wrapped airtight, they can be frozen for up to 2 months.

Saturday, December 20, 2008

Last month's Daring Bakers Challenge was Caramel Cake, with the additional (and optional) challenge of Golden Vanilla Bean Caramels. I was more excited about the caramels than the cake, to be honest, and was really upset that I did not get a chance to complete them in time for posting day.

I had trouble getting my hands on some golden syrup, a key ingredient in the caramels. What's the difference between golden syrup and corn syrup? Golden syrup is made during the process of refining sugar cane juice into sugar, whereas corn syrup is made from corn starch. There are several "recipes" out there where you can use corn syrup to come up with a substitute for golden syrup, but I really wanted to try the recipe as written. After multiple trips to World Market only to find that they were out of stock, I finally found some golden syrup during a trip to Super Walmart.

So, I finally got to try my hand at making caramels for the first time. I was so nervous that these would not turn out, as I had read reports from others that they followed the instructions to a "T" and ended up with a block of toffee instead of soft and chewy caramel. I am not sure what happened in those cases, because I pretty much followed the recipe verbatim and ended up with the most wonderful Fleur de Sel Vanilla Bean Caramels! The salty, crunchy sea salt is a great contrast (and complement) to the sweet vanilla bean caramels.

The only change I would probably make next time is to only cook the sugar mixture up to 260F, instead of 265F. I had intended to do that in the first place, but while I was turning around to re-read the recipe to see what temperature they needed to get to, the temperature jumped from 255F to 265F and there was no turning back! Next time, I'll be more careful to keep a closer eye on it. It really takes a long time for it to heat up to 245F... so much so that I was worried it never would. That's partly why I was caught by surprise when it jumped up to 265F so quickly.

My only complaint with this recipe is that the instructions to heat the sugar mixture until it "boils energetically but not violently" is very vague. I think I'd need a video demonstration before I could really tell you what the difference is between "energetic" and "violent." In any case, I had my burner on medium heat the entire time, and that seemed to work out just fine.

These were another great addition to my gift packages of homemade holiday goodies. I packaged them up in three different ways. I left some of them as is, in gold Wilton candy cups (also called party cups - I also got these at Walmart).

Look at those vanilla bean specks! :)

I wrapped several others in wax paper...

Then I dipped the remaining caramels in melted almond bark. Almond bark is an artificial chocolate that works really well as a chocolate coating. It is made with vegetable fats instead of cocoa butter so it melts easily and hardens nicely at room temperature. If you prefer not to use almond bark, you can also use semisweet chocolate chips, or the premium chocolate of your choice. Simply use the ratio of 1 cup of chocolate chips or 8 ounces of finely chopped chocolate with 1 teaspoon of vegetable shortening (i.e. Crisco) and melt in the microwave or on a double boiler.

I love caramels. I am so excited that I now know how to make them at home myself! If you are worried about working with sugar, please get over your fears and give this recipe a try. These are so good! If you have never tried making candy because you lack a candy thermometer, please go out and buy this digital thermometer. Unlike most candy thermometers, this digital thermometer has many uses. I was able to purchase it for $15 (using a $5 off coupon) and I use it all the time. It is wonderful - it allows you to read the temperature of the meat you are cooking even with the oven door closed... it also has an alarm that sounds when the preset temperature is reached. Even better, it is safe up to 400F, making it the perfect candy thermometer. So what are you waiting for now? Give these a try!

Line the bottom and sides of the baking pan with aluminum foil and grease the foil. Combine the golden syrup, sugar, and salt in a heavy 3-quart saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring with a silicone spatula or wooden spoon, until the mixture begins to simmer around the edges. Wash the sugar and syrup from the sides of the pan with a pastry brush dipped in water. (Don't skip this step - it helps prevent recrystallization of your sugars.) Cover and cook for about 3 minutes. (Meanwhile, rinse the spatula or spoon before using it again later.) Uncover the pan and wash down the sides once more. Attach the candy thermometer to the pan, without letting it touch the bottom of the pan, and cook, uncovered (without stirring) until the mixture reaches 305°F. Meanwhile, combine the cream and ground vanilla beans (not the extract) in a small saucepan and heat until tiny bubbles form around the edges of the pan. Turn off the heat and cover the pan to keep the cream hot.

When the sugar mixture reaches 305°F, turn off the heat and stir in the butter chunks. Gradually stir in the hot cream; it will bubble up and steam dramatically, so be careful. Turn the burner back on and adjust it so that the mixture boils energetically but not violently (I did this at medium heat). Stir until any thickened syrup at the bottom of the pan is dissolved and the mixture is smooth. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, to about 245°F. Then cook, stirring constantly, to 260°f for soft, chewy caramels or 265°F; for firmer chewy caramels.

Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract, if using it. Pour the caramel into the lined pan. Let set for 4 to 5 hours, or overnight until firm.

Lift the pan liner from the pan and invert the sheet of caramel onto a sheet of parchment paper. Peel off the liner. Cut the caramels with an oiled knife. Wrap each caramel individually in wax paper or cellophane. (I cut out pieces of wax paper that were about 3" x 4". From a standard roll, simply cut out a strip about 3" wide, then fold in thirds and cut the strip into thirds.)

Variations

Fleur de Sel Caramels: Extra salt, in the form of fleur de sel or another coarse flaked salt, brings out the flavor of the caramel and offers a little ying to the yang. Add an extra scant 1/4 teaspoon of coarse sea salt to the recipe. Or, to keep the salt crunchy, let the caramel cool and firm. Then sprinkle with two pinches of flaky salt and press it in. Invert, remove the pan liner, sprinkle with more salt. Then cut and wrap the caramels in wax paper or cellophane.

Cardamom Caramels: Omit the vanilla. Add 1/2 teaspoon slightly crushed cardamom seeds (from about 15 cardamom pods) to the cream before heating it. Strain the cream when you add it to the caramel; discard the seeds.

Caramel Sauce: Stop cooking any caramel recipe or variation when it reaches 225°F or, for a sauce that thickens like hot fudge over ice cream, 228°F. Pour it into a sauceboat to serve or into a heatproof jar for storage. The sauce can be stored in the refrigerator for ages and reheated gently in the microwave or a saucepan just until hot and flowing before use. You can stir in rum or brandy to taste. If the sauce is too thick or stiff to serve over ice cream, it can always be thinned with a little water or cream. Or, if you like a sauce that thickens more over ice cream, simmer it for a few minutes longer.